This invention relates to a heat pump system which preferably is solar-powered, at least in part, and preferably utilizes a power turbine which drives a compressor turbine. The power turbine preferably employs a Rankine power cycle, in which a working fluid is vaporized in a vapor generator by solar heat and, if necessary, additional heat from a furnace or some other auxiliary heat source, to produce hot vapor which is expanded in the power turbine to drive the turbine. The expanded vapor is then liquefied in a condenser to produce liquid working fluid which is returned in a closed loop to the vapor generator, where it is again vaporized by solar heat or auxiliary heat.
The compressor turbine preferably compresses a low pressure vapor of a working fluid. The compressed vapor is liquefied in a condenser, from which the liquid working fluid is supplied in a closed loop to an evaporator where the fluid is vaporized to produce refrigeration. The low pressure vapor is returned to the compressor turbine. When the heat pump system is utilized in a cooling mode, the refrigeration produced in the evaporator is employed to cool a building or the like. A heat exchange liquid is circulated through a heat exchange coil in the evaporator and is also circulated through a heat exchange system in the building to cool the building. In the cooling mode, the condensers in the power system and the heat pump system are cooled by a heat exchange system which may discharge heat to the atmosphere, the earth or otherwise.
The heat pump system may also be operated in a heating mode, in which the heat from the condensers is employed to heat a building or the like, by means of a heat exchange system in which a heat exchange fluid is circulated through the condensers and also through a heat exchanger in the building. In this mode low temperature heat from solar or other sources is employed by means of heat exchangers to provide heat input to the evaporator.
The power turbine and the compressor turbine are preferably combined in a turbocompressor having a common rotary shaft.